


Mean Boys

by Livingshroom



Category: Big Brother RPF
Genre: Blow Jobs, Bullying, Cady Heron!Zach, Coming Out, Cuddling, Fingering, Frankie is queen bee, High School AU, M/M, Regina George!Frankie, Sexual Repression, Zach wants it, bow down, mean girl AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-22
Updated: 2014-12-15
Packaged: 2018-02-22 03:02:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2492093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Livingshroom/pseuds/Livingshroom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zach Rance, due to overprotective parents and his little brother's golf training, has been home schooled all his life. The Bomb squad, a group of the hottest boys in school with leader Frankie Grande, pull him under their control. Now, Zach learns that he has to wear pink every Wednesday, that Frankie can stuff his whole fist into his mouth, that tweeting is not just a sound birds make, and that mathletes is social suicide. </p><p>Will Zach become another 'mean boy' or will he blow up the Bomb Squad?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Squad

"Zachary Rance! Don't forget your lunch money! I put an extra dollar so you can buy a cookie. Ask one of the big kids to help you. Now, do you remember our new phone number? I wrote it down for you just in case. Don't do anything to embarrass me!"

"Ok! Got it! I'll be okay, Mom, stop worrying. _Zach-attack_ isn't afraid of anything," he shouted over his shoulder as he ran out of the house onto the bus.

This was going to be the best day of his life. Everyone had told him that high school was the best years of your life, and he was ready for a new experience.

 

\---------

  
The first day of school was a stressful blur.

Zach felt awkward and out of place for most of the day. Everyone knew each other since pre-K, and he was an outsider in their social circles. It wasn't like he hadn't tried to be sociable.

"Hi! I don't know if anyone told you, but I'm new here. My name's Zach Rance," he stuck out his hand to the boy who was sitting at the front desk and chewing gum. The boy looked down at his hand, popped a bubble, and looked back up at Zach.

"Uh huh," the teen shrugged, "Cool. My name's No-One-Gives-A-Shit. But people call me Shut-The-Fuck-Up."

The class burst into laughter, and Zach felt like he may burst into tears. He tried to play it off like it didn't bother him, chuckled, and found a seat in the back of the class where he could hide his head in shame.

"'Ello there class! We're in for an exciting year full of math and fun! My name's Mr.Thompson, and I want to help you to help yourself," the bearded man cheerfully wrote his name on the board and drew a smiley face besides it.

"Could he get any lamer?" The boy at the front fake-whispered, and the class _ohhhed_.

"Ah, _Cody_. S'good to see you for the secound year in a row! Maybe if you show up to school this year I can pass you...," Mr. Thompson smiled sweetly and Cody grimaced, "Now, we have a new student here with us all the way from Florida- Zachary Rance! Where are you Zachary?"

"That's me," Zach raised his hand and felt the class turn to stare at him, "And I prefer Zach."

"Okay, Zach. I'm sure you'll have quite the day here at Big Brother High school!"

The rest of the day was even worse than the start.

Zach wasn't sure that he had learned anything so far except to keep his mouth shut and his head down. He had thought that school was supposed to be a freeing experience, but he felt like he had walked out of one suffocating house into another.

The teachers distrusted him even when he just asked to just go the bathroom, and the kids sniggered at him whenever he messed up.  
Health class was the worst.

The gym teacher, Mr. Shepherd, gave the most uncomfortable speech: "Don't have sex. Because you will get pregnant and die. Don't have sex in the missionary position, don't have sex standing up. Just don't do it, promise? Okay, everyone take some condoms."

Then everyone spent the rest of the period texting under their desks. Zach hadn't brought his phone to school because he thought that he would listening attentively to his teachers all day. Boy, he had been wrong. The teachers looked almost as miserable as the students.

Zach ate his lunch, alone, in a bathroom stall; he had been too nervous to sit in the crowded cafeteria. He thought, bitterly, about how high school was "the best years of your life."

 

\---------

 

"Excuse me can you help me? Uh, I guess not..." Zach Rance was lost, and it wasn't even third period. His mother had printed out a brand new schedule for his secound day of senior class and tucked it into his backpack, but, in his excitment, the paper had fallen out. He had stumbled into the right english class by sheer chance, but now he didn't know where to go to find his Health class.

Zach sat, dejected, on E staircase, and wondered how the hell anyone was suppoused to navigate this maze. He wished that Peyton was there with him, and he was about to cry when he spotted a pretty boy with blonde hair skipping in.

"Hi! I'm looking for my english class. I can't find my schedule 'cause my Mom packed it but I think I misplaced it, and I was wondering because you look nice if you would-"

"Um, 'scuse? Do you know who I am?" The boy looked at him from under his shades, quirked a finely shaped eyebrow, and sipped his Starbucks coffe. Zach took in the boy's sheer shirt with the words 'Manhatten,' tight jeans, and immaculate hairstyle. He felt a strange feeling in the pit of his stomache, and Zach held on tightly to his backpack straps.

"You're, uh, really hot. Like, uh, wow- do all the boys who go to Big Brother Highschool look like you?" Zach word vomited, and the boys's cheeks turned pink.

"Sadly- no. I'm the exception not the rule; most of the boys who go here look like primates escaped from the zoo. I'm Frankie _Grande_ , since you don't know, and I'm a social media moguel...I don't think I've seen you around here before?"

"My name's Zach Rance- I'm new. I was homeschooled my whole life so I've never been to highschool-"

"Omigod, _shut up_!" Frankie screamed and clutched his chest.

"Uh, what?"

" _Shut up!_ I can't believe you've never been to school before! You're like a new foreign animal. Come, I'll help you find your class."

Zach giggled at everything Frankie said, and, forgetting about his class, followed this strange boy down the staircase to the courtyard. Frankie kept messing with his own hair and giving him looks, but Zach couldn't believe that he had made a friend already.

"Wow, your outfit is really...cute. What made you think to pair a patterned golf polo with kahki pants?  It's honestly a crime because you're bicep would look so good in a tanktop," Frankie stroked his arms, and Zach giggled. 

"Thanks!"

"So you agree?"

"What?"

"You think you're hot?"

"Um, I dunno. Yes? I mean no. Maybe," Zach looked around as he realized that they where in an abandoned football field, "Wait, I don't think health class is located on the bleachers?"

Frankie rolled his eyes, ran a hand through his hair, and gestured dramatically: "Welcome, to the official meeting place of the Bombsquad. This is where we hang out before lunch, practice soccer, and gossip. That one there, that's Caleb Reyonalds. He's the dumbest boy you'll ever meet in your life I don't even know how he would have passed first grade without my help. And that hot one? He's Cody Calaforie. He's almost as rich as me because his father invented toaster strudel. And then there's me- soccer star, star of the school play, brother to the star Arianna Grande, and a regulation hottie. Guys, this is Zach. He's been homeschooled all his life so he needs our help to get socialized."

Zach didn't know what to say to that so he just stared at the three boys. Cody was staring at his reflection in a compact mirror and trying to style his hair and Caleb looked confused. Zach had a feeling that Caleb spent most of his life confused.

Cody looked up at Zach, "Oh, you'll get 'socialized' alright. Bitches, will be all on top of him as soon as he learns how to loose the polo."

"What's wrong with my polo?"

"Nothing.You'd just be even _hotter_ in a tight, little shirt," Frankie said sweetly as his hands rubbed Zach's biceps again, and Zach got that weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. He didn't know why, but he liked the fact that Frankie was all over him. 

"Not as hot as you, dude. I mean you look good objectively speaking- I'm not gay. I don't care that _you're_ gay, but I'm not."

"Oh, I'm not a _fag_ either. I have a girlfriend. Veronica or something. Or maybe it was Victoria," Frankie replied, but his eyes roamed all over Zach's body. Cody coughed uncomfortably, and Zach was disappointed when Frankie let go. 

Frankie walked over to his boys, huddled them in, and whispered something.

"Bro, welcome to the bomb squad," Caleb announced, and Zach was amazed that this group of teen royalty had accepted him as one of their own.

He spent the rest of the period playing soccer with them before heading to the school to eat lunch. Frankie's girlfriend, Victoria, joined them in the cafeteria, but Frankie's hand stroked his leg under the table, and he liked it. Frankie's fingers trailed up his thigh, and, maybe it was Zach's imagination, brushed against his crotch.

"Oh, and Zach. On Wednesdays, we wear pink," Frankie said as the bell rang.

 

\---------

 

 _The Burnbook Twitter_ : "Uh oh. Looks like the Bomb Squad has grown from 3 morons to 4. F ignores V in favor of Z. #Love Triangle ??? Z was spotted out shopping for pink hats to wear for tomorrow. "

 

\---------

 

"Zach, sweetie, how was your second day?"

"Fine"

"Well, where people nice?"

"Um," he thought about Frankie teasing him about his outfit and Cody's personal jabs, "No."

"Did you make any friends?"

Zach remembered Frankie's hands stroking his leg and bicep,"Yeah...I think this is going to be an interesting year."

 


	2. Get in, loser!

"Get in, loser! We're going shopping," Frankie called from inside his yellow convertible and honked the horn. Zach, clutching his backpack, grinned at the sight of him waving in the parking lot. The other boys weren't there so he assumed it would just be him and Frankie for once.

He wasn't sure what he had done that had made The Bomb Squad want him, but Zach had never had such glamorous friends: Cody- when he wasn't whining- was a lady killer, Caleb -when he wasn't stalking this girl named Amber- was fun to chill out with, and then there was Frankie.

Frankie was....perfect. Zach could barely stop gushing about him to anyone who would listen. _Everything_ Frankie did was funny. _Everything_ Frankie said was brilliant. 

Frankie also drove like a maniac, ignoring stop signs and and driving way over the speed limit, and Zach found it hard to be scared for his life when he was so spellbound. Zach's heart was beating fact because they had just narrowly missed hitting a little old lady, right? Only when Frankie tried to take out his phone and take a video of them for Instagram did Zach grab the phone out of his hands and refocus into reality.

"Frankie- you can NOT use your cellphone and drive. It's illegal and dumb and reckless and-"

"Awww," Frankie cooed as Zach threw the I-phone into the back seat, "You do care, babe."

"You can't save my fashion life if you're dead. Where would I be without you?," Zach joked and tried not to think too much about Frankie calling him babe. Frankie, away from the stressful environment of school, seemed more relaxed and open, and Zach was less fearful of saying something dumb to piss him off.

"You'd do something dumb like join mathletes!" Frankie grinned, and Zach scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. 

"Well, now that you mention it, Mr. Thompson actually asked me if I wanted to join-"

" _Omigod_! Zach, please, that's social suicide. Darn, you're so lucky you have me. I'll show you how to-"

" _Fuck!_ I think I just saw my life flash before me there. Eyes on the road! Eyes on the road!"

 

                                                                            --------------------------------------------------       

 

Frankie had told him, on the first that they met, that he was straight, but Zach wasn't so sure that he was. First of all, based off of stereotypes alone, he was the most well groomed boy that Zach had ever met. His nails where always smooth and polished, his hair carefully sculpted into it's signature Mohawk, and he was always smelled delicious. When he talked, his wrist hung limply, and Zach had never seen a boy so disinterested in his girlfriend (Veronica? Velveta?).

If that had been it then Zach would have brushed it off, but there was more. The way that Frankie looked at him, pupil's dilated, as he came out the changing room wearing a tight pair of jeans and muscle tank, made him feel self-conscious. Frankie's gave him an appreciative once over.

"You look hot. Like, wow, you where nice before but now...Let me see how it fits," Frankie walked over, and his hands rubbed Zach's abs. Zach was feeling strange and hot as Frankie checked out 'how it fit.' Frankie was standing really close to him, and he found himself looking at those pink lips in wonder. 

"It's a really good cut. But it's kinda expansive so I don't know if I can afford it, you know?" Zach mumbled as Frankie reached into his pants to pull out the price tag and stared, with disinterest, at the price. Frankie was so close he could feel his breathe against his neck.

"Don't worry- This one's on me. I'll die if I can't see you dressed up like this. Don't stress, save your cash for a costume for the Halloween party this Friday," Frankie, who was naturally affectionate, pressed a kiss onto Zach's cheek. Zach felt his world spin, and he knew if he was a cartoon then his eyes might turn into giant hearts at Frankie's lip against his skin. Not...that he was gay or anything. They where just really really really _really_ good friends.

Frankie made sure that Zach got a new everything, and every outfit that Zach tried on mean't more groping, By the time they where done shopping, Zach was semi, and he had trouble concealing himself in the new shorts that Frankie had bought him.  

"Ugh, text from Victoria" -so that was her name!- "she want to know if I'll be attending her birthday party. What should I tell her? Oh, I know! 'Family things. Won't make it. Love ya.' Maybe a couple xo's to lessen the blow?"

Zach wasn't sure how to respond. He had never had a girlfriend before (too busy with his bro and not interested), but he wasn't sure this was how most boys treated them. The again, he reasoned, Frankie wasn't like most boys he had ever met.

"Zach, in order to be a part of the Bomb Squad. You _have_ to be a part of a sports team. That's, like, boy code. So get a move on that, okay?" Frankie instructed him as they walked back to the car, "Oh, and I forget to give you my number. Text me _anytime_."

Frankie slipped a pen out from his pocket and, not having a paper on him, used Zach's arm to write his digits. Zach watched as Frankie tenderly held his arm and marked it in black ink, and he didn't know why, but it may have been the hottest thing he had seen all day, which was saying something because Frankie was wearing booty shorts. Frankie wrote at the end of the number 'your bae' as if Zach would forget who he was.

"Frankie, can I ask you a question?"

"You just did," Frankie snarked and Zach loved how he always had a comeback on the tip of his tongue.

"Are you, uh, straight? I was just, like, wondering. Not for any specific reason."

"Yup, as straight as you."

For some reason, that answer wasn't very assuring.

 

                                                                            --------------------------------------------------    

  

The Burnbook Twitter: " _Uh oh._ Z spotted trying out for sports with a phone # on his hands. Sources question if Z's swings...both ways? Cb still stalking A (ew). F bought V makeup flowers. = _CRINGE_ "

 

                                                                            --------------------------------------------------    

 

School was stressful, but it wasn't even the amount of homework or tests that made Zach's head hurt or kept him up at night. He just felt so...confused all the time. One moment, Frankie would be hanging off him and pressing kisses on his neck until he was giggling _Frankiiiie._ Other times Frankie was making out with Victoria and complimenting her and Zach didn't know what to do with himself. 

"Zach, if you don't get into a sport by Halloween we're really going to have to kick your ass out of the Bombsquad. It's pathetic. I'm on the track team, school play, and the soccer team. How hard is it to get yourself involved in some sort of physical activity?," Frankie was in a catty mood today, and Cody and Caleb had both found excuses to skip lunch today. Victoria was absent so it was just Zach. 

"It's cause there's no golf team in this school! And you know I've been trying...Mr.Thompson asked me to join mathletesagain, and he says I have this natural ability to understand complex equations-"

"No _mathletes_! Mr. Thompon's like a goddamn drug pusher! Who does he think he is?" Frankie picked at his lunch before deciding to throw out the whole tray uneaten. Zach had seen his unhealthy relationship with food before, but he didn't know what to say. 

"There's no more tryouts...except for cheer leading I guess so I don't know what you want me to do?"

"Become a cheerleader."

"What? But I don't even-"

"Do what I say or I swear to god I will uninvite you to my Halloween party and un-friend you on all social media platforms. Get to stepping, Zach, because the only fate worse then loserdom- is being boring. Male cheerleader? People will talk about you, and if there's one thing that you want to be in Highschool...it's talked about," Frankie explained, and Zach wasn't sure he understood the logic, but he wanted nothing more than to please Frankie at all costs. 

So that's how Zach Rance found himself at the cheerleader auditions. The Cheer Captain, Nicole, lead him, plus a couple freshmen girls, in chants. Zach, much to his own amazement, found it extremely enjoyable. He loved making up poems and dances so this couldn't be that different.

 

                                                                            --------------------------------------------------    

 

 _'2, 4, 6, 8...I'm going to be a cheeleader, mate!_ Zach texted Frankie for the first time at night. He had finished all his homework, and he couldn't get Frankie off his mind for some reason. He had looked so good today, even in his short mood, wearing a button down shirt and tight jeans. Only after Zach's phone buzzed did he realize that he was imagining what Frankie would look like naked. Weird.

_F: 1, 2, 3, 4...congrats you whore!_

Zach laughed because Frankie was hilarious. Honestly, how had he thought of a rhyme so quickly? 

_Z: You're the funniest person I've EVER met in my entire life. I'm serious! I've never met anyone like u_

_F: Awww, thank u, babe! Flattery will get you...far ;)_ Zach stared at the winky face, and he wondered, not for the first time, if he and Frankie where flirting. He could never be sure, but he just brushed it off as the way that their friendship was.

_Z:Excited for the Halloween party at ur place. What should I dress up as? I wanted to be something...sexy!_

_F: Umm, me? Duh!_ Zach giggled into his pillow as he read the text, and he took five minutes to try and come up with a witty reply. He wasn't as naturally spunky as his friend.

_Z: Only if you do me._

_F: Oh, I'll do you!_

                                                                            --------------------------------------------------    

 

 _FrankieJGrande_ : "Anyone who's anyone will be at the Grande Halloween party. No invite? Cry urself to sleep. Who am I being for Halloween? @Ranceypants !!!"

 _Ranceypants_ : "@FrankiejGrande :D And I'm going to be the coolest/smartest/funniest boy in school! Guess who?

Burnbook: "@Ranceypants @FrankieGrande Bromance or romance? Something tells me Z writes Mrs.Grande on all his notebooks...in the _MOST_ heterosexual way ;)"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But will Zach ever discover how Frankie truly feels? Who runs the Burnbook twitter? What will happen on Halloween?
> 
> Find out in chapter 3!


	3. Zankieween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who is REALLY behind the burn book? Can Zach ever get some Grande love? Will Caleb get a date from Amber? (All I can reveal is the answer is NO to the last one) Comment if you liked this/are excited for another chapter! :D

Zach stood with his mouth gaping as he arrived at Frankie’s doorstep when the door opened.

He tugged at his shirt and bit his lip as he stared at Frankie's Halloween costume, and, at one point, he had forgotten that he needed to swallow. Was he still alive or had he gone to heaven?

“You get it?” Frankie twirled around and the small cheerleader skirt rode up to reveal the tight, black booty shorts that he wore underneath, “I’m you!”

“Oh, wow. But I would never look that amazing in a cheerleader outfit. You look good, dude. More than good- bro, you’re _hot_! Seriously, the way you move and look is turning me on and- and I don’t like it,” Zach gushed and Frankie giggled as he soaked in the compliments. Zach, who was wearing a pink shirt (“Shine bright like a Frankie!”) and tight pants to imitate Frankie, had to adjust himself more than once as he stared at his best friend.

Caleb honked his car as he pulled into the driveway, and Zach was able to break away from the trance. Calev was wearing a cowboy hat and a plaid shirt, which was a lame costume because he was a cowboy “every fucking day of the week” (according to Frankie), and Cody was wearing nothing but black underwear and black animal ears of some sort.

“What are you supposed to be?” Zach asked as he admired Cody’s body (in spite of himself), and Cody rolled his eyes.

“I’m a mouse,” Cody pointed at the ambiguous ears, “Duh! What are you two _queers_ supposed to be?”

Zach noticed that Frankie stiffened at the slur word, and he seemed less happy about his costume then when he had been twirling a minute ago. “I’m dressed up as Zach. Ugh, you’re so dumb Cody, how do you even function? Zach’s a cheerleader so I’m fucking making fun of him. God. Everyone else will get it!”

No one else gets it.

If anything Frankie’s outfit was one of the best of the night. Victoria was dressed up like a princess, in lingerie and a tiara, but she got drunk halfway through the party and ended up asleep in a bathtub with a bottle of alcohol as her prince charming. Amber was dressed up in all leather and cat ears, and Caleb watched her from across the room and would tell anyone who would listen how he’s always wanted ‘a kitty.’ Zach wasn’t sure if he should laugh or get Caleb a restraining order. Zach coped with the awkwardness that is Caleb by drinking.

He hadn't seen Frankie all night, but he guessed that he was probably on the dance floor being the life of the party instead of getting wasted. Frankie was so funny and perfect and interesting that he doesn't need to get drunk to make a spectacle of himself.

Zach smiled as he saw Frankie for the first time and pulled the boy to his chest, “Omigod, where have you beeennn? I’ve been looking forr youu all night. I waannted to see you in your cute, little skirt.” “

You enjoying the show, Ranceypants? How about I give you a private viewing?” Frankie spoke lowly into his ear, and the way that he was stroking Zach’s arm made him horny. He wasn’t sure what he was doing, but his sluggish mind thought it would be a good idea to squeeze Frankie’s butt.

Caleb -the creep- was watching them, “It looks like you two are gonna make out! Wow, you two must be madly in love. Do you think Amber will like it if I-”

“Caleb. She. Does. Not. Like. You,” Frankie shut him down, and Zach had never been so attracted to someone as he was to Frankie in this very moment. God, was it normal to get boners because your best friend walked around in a skirt all night and was bitchy?

Frankie pulled Zach into the bathroom, ducking behind two boys throwing around an antique vase, and he locked the door as they heard something shatter. Frankie, despite being leaner than him and dressed like a cheerleader, shoved him roughly against the counter top. Zach thought this was the part where they kiss, but Frankie was just holding his face and staring at Zach as if he was question that needed to be anwsered.

“Frankie, pleasssseee. Frankie,” Zach begged, but he wasn't sure what he was asking for.

Frankie’s fingers brushed against his lips and it made him harden. There was so much tension, and Zach felt queasy.

“Zach, I want to do this. God, do I want this. But-but I’m afraid that you’ll blurt this out to someone. You word vomit ALL the time,” Frankie explained, and Zach’s stomach twisted in pain. Zach opened his mouth, and, oh no, he was going to word vomit right now and tell Frankie about how he stayed up at night and dreamed of touching him or how he had pictures of Frankie saved on his phone that he liked to look at when he was sad or how turned on he was on right now or-

 _“What the fuck??!!?”_ Frankie screamed as his costume was covered in actual vomit.

“Frankie, wait! Just-” _kiss me_ he called after him, but Frankie had disappeared into the crowd.

Zach wiped his mouth and felt sober already. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw someone move behind him, but he was too sad to investigate.

Vomiting on your crush? Not the best way to get laid.

 

 

                                                                          --------------------------------------------------

The Burnbook twitter: “Typical Friday night? [The attached picture was a blurry image of Zach vomiting all over Frankie whose face was contorted in disgust]”

                                                                               --------------------------------------------------

 

Zach walked down the hallways, and he saw a girl giggling behind her hands as he passed by. Another boy elbowed his friend as Zach came closer to them. Weird. Zach looked over his shoulder and wondered if Frankie was nearby because people were always giddy at the sight of Frankie.

“Oh, god. What kind of sick, petty creature thinks this is funny?” Zach found Frankie lying on the bleachers, scrolling through his phone, and moaning about his life. Zach had sent apology text after text this weekend, and Frankie had texted him back that it was ‘ok’ so he hoped that he wasn’t the cause of his friend’s misery.

“What’s wrong? Did Caleb create another twitter account to try and contact Amber? Did Cody fail math, again, and make a tumblr account mocking Mr.Thompson?” “No. It’s worse. Way worse,” Zach squatted until he was eye level with Frankie and stroked his boy’s hair. Frankie closed his eyes, the tension leaving his body, as Zach massaged him. It was so peaceful that Zach wished they could just stay like this.

“Tell me, babe, I can handle anything,” he murmured soothingly, and Frankie shoved his phone into Zach’s hands. Zach gasped as he looked at the picture.

“How did they get this? How- what?-when?-” “It’s this horrible twitter by a student from our school called the ‘Burnbook!’ Are we in seventh grade? They posted this picture of you vomiting all over me and it went viral and now the twitter has over half a million followers. From people who don’t even go to our school! They made a meme of me! A meme!” Frankie fumed, and Zach hugged his friend. Zach stroked his back as Frankie ranted on and on about ‘defamation’ and ‘stalkers,’ and he calmed with the promise of Starbucks.

"It's okay," Frankie decided after a minute of pouting, "The internet is better off with me as a meme. I'll just embrace it and make a t-shirt or something. Nothing says 'I don't gove a shit' like a picture of my friend vomiting on me. Lesson #55 of popularity Zach- when you're cool you have to embrace things people say to put you down."

"I'd embrace the shit out of you, dude," Zach said without thinking.

"God, you're the cutest. Come over this Friday, and we'll cuddle and I'll show you how to properly take a selfie because I can't have a boyf-best friend whose selfie game is so weak!"

"Don't you have a date with Victoria?"

"Who?" Frankie winked and kissed Zach on the cheek before flouncing away.

 

 

\--------------------------------------------------

 

 

 _FrankieJGrande_ : @Ranceypants If I had to have anyone vomit on me then it would be u < 3 I'm putting that pic of us in a frame...it'll be perfect for our wedding!

 _Ranceypants_ : @Frankiejgrande Um, should I be creeped out...or flattered?

 _FrankieJGrande_ : @Ranceypants Flattered, rose! < 3 < 3 < 3

 _Burnbook_ : @Ranceypants @Frankiegrande do everyone on the internet a favor and GET. A. ROOM. (but send me any more vomit pics)

 _Ranceypants_ : @Burnbook ur a fruitloop fucking DINGUS and not even the good kind (like @Nicole_Franzel). ur the shitty kind.

 _FrankieJGrande_ : @Burnbook I swear to god I will find u and expose u and drag u to filth :) Have a great day!

 


	4. Trapped

Zach had never been so borderline obsessed with someone as he was of Frankie. He stalked through blogs for old pictures of him and followed twitters dedicated to the "Grandtourage." Anything, so long as he could just see more of this beautiful boy. They spent hours just texting back and forth, and the later it was at night the more flirty their exchanges became.

"Zach, who are you texting so late?" His mother barged into the room, and she had been eyeing him more suspiciously ever since he had joined the cheer leading team and started to spend most of his time at the mall with the bomb squad.

"Frankie's telling me all about this flop audition he had with this people called 'The Hollywood Rejects'! Thank god he got out of that one. I mean what would that show even be about?," Zach laughed.

“Zach, sweetie, I don't mean to be intrusive but do you have your eyes on any girls?” His mother put his polo shirts into the closet and Zach tensed at the change of topics, “You know...any little crushes or something? That Nicole girl is very cute.”

“Um...not really...I mean I’m concentrating on golfing and cheer leading and just, uh, 'bro'ing out with my friends right now, Mom. Nicole's sweet, but her and Hayden are dating. You know that, right?” Zach averted his eyes and went back to scrolling through his twitter, but he closed the app when he saw a picture of his Frankie without a shirt on. His mother was close enough that she could look down and see what he was staring at. 

"Of course, of course. You're so young anyways, only eighteen years, and you couldn't possibly be-” His mother cleared her throat, excused herself from his room, and called up his aunt to gossip. Zach went back to texting, but every message Frankie sent him didn't seem as fun as before as Zach tried to guess what he _couldn’t-possibly-be._

It only too one night for Zach to figure out what he _couldn't-possibly-be_. He was relaxing in bed, browsing youtube videos late one night, his body sore from practice, when he his youtube recommended a video entitled ‘Behind the scenes of Frankie Grande's sexy speedo shoot.’ Zach had heard that Frankie had briefly gone into modeling, and he was curious. His fingers hesitated as his conscious berated him for messing around on a school night. Another voice, small and unused, egged him on. Zach clicked the video.

Frankie was wearing a speedo, and Zach had seen his best friend undressed before...but this was different. This time Frankie was looking at the camera with a sly smirk, and Zach found his heart pounding furiously against his ribcage as he watched the clip.

There was something blatantly sexual about the way that Frankie licked his lips, and Zach's breathing became ragged while his toes curled in his socks. He should have stopped and _‘x-ed’_ out right away, the moment his stomach twisted and his fingers shook, but he was curious. 

“Zach, sweetie, have you seen where I put my phon-” Zach slammed his computer shut and whirled around: eyes wide, cheeks flushed, and pajama bottoms evidence of his misdoings. Humiliation washed over Zach as he looked up at his mother’s raised eyebrows.

“What were yo-”

“Nothing!” He blurted out sharply, and he wanted to take a cold shower until his ears stopped burning.

His mother’s eyes flickered from his guilty face to where one hand rested on the computer and the other hand had pulled his bed covers over his lap. The firm line of her lips softened into a knowing smile.

“Zach, it’s okay.” She sat down on his bed and proceeded to give him the most condescending talk, which made him want to melt and slip away under the floorboards. He glared at his ceiling and zoned out for most of the lecture about safe sex that made him feel like he was back in his health class.

“...Remember, it’s only natural for a healthy boy your age to feel this way about girls.” He swallowed as images of a tanned chest and strong jaw flashed in his head.

“Right.”

His mother kissed him on the head, but he avoided her gaze. Zach wanted to cannonball recklessly into the pool and dunk his head until the water had cleansed him. He wished that he could be baptized of his sins.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed about”

“Right” Oh, but there was so much to be ashamed about. There were thoughts in his mind that would not please his mother or father: thoughts that would make her cry, call their rabbi, and pray for his soul. He listened to the sound of her fading footsteps, and Zach buried his mortified head into his pillow. Zach simply took his desires, folded them in half, and hid them in his mental folder because he didn't want to think of the implications that he actually was what everyone had been hinting for years. 

 

\---------

 _Fruitloop24_ : @Ranceypants r u n Frankie dating?

 _Ranceypants_ : I'm currently accepting applications for a girlfriend ;) 

\---------

 

Zach was a well known personality in Big Brother High school, and he couldn't walk down the hallways without receiving high fives. In class, he noticed some girls staring at him for longer than it was normal. Ever since his public twitter fight with the 'Burnbook Twitter' (who continued to be shady) his follower count had risen to 10,000. Of course, this was nowhere near Frankie's half a million followers, but Zach hadn't even known how to properly use twitter before this school year. 

"It's weird...like people I've never met seem to think they know me. But they, like, don't! Sometimes, I don't even know what to tweet and, with so many followers, I feel this pressure to be witty in my every tweet. And...I'm just not. Not like you, Frankie," Zach explained to Frankie at lunch. Zach loved how Frankie stared him in the eyes when they talked and seemed to regard every word that he said important. Who else would do that? 

"That's the price of fame, Zachary. And it's the internet so _everyone_ wants to put their ten cents in about what you're doing and what you should be doing, but you can't spare these people any attention. Just do you," Frankie spoke easily, and Zach actually sighed in wonder.

"Wow,  you're the smartest person I've ever met Frankie. Really. It's not only cause you have a freakin' 4.0 GPA, with classes like AP Bio, but you also give the greatest advice. And your funny. And sweet. And-"

"Oh, god, I'm going to vomit. You two are unbearable. Get a room," Cody interrupted Zach, his words echoing the Burnbook twitter, and  he glared at the two of them. Zach took a bite of his sandwich so he wouldn't say anything he would regret. He squinted his eyes suspiciously at Cody. Ever since that photo had been released, Zach was growing suspicious of everyone around him even his fellow Bomb Squad members.

"Cody, we know you're jealous of our relationship but try to contain yourself and maybe someone will actually want to be friends with your irrelevant ass," Frankie snapped, and Zach, as usual, was very turned on by Frankie being a bad ass and shutting everyone who tried to fuck with them down. The paranoia had made Frankie more sassy and high strung then usual, and it was only around Zach that he let his guard down anymore.

Victoria sashayed over, wearing a dress so tight that Zach was concerned how she was getting any oxygen, and she squeezed herself in between Frankie and Zach. Frankie looked annoyed when she tried to kiss him on the mouth, and he shifted away from her advances. Zach was also disappointed to be distanced, even for just a moment, from Frankie. 

_Can someone pls tell Vicky that she can't sit with us? Her dress is not even pink...it's fuchsia -F_

_Lol she should not be sitting with us. God, she's always all over u...Does she even have any other friends tho?_ Zach texted, and he knew it was mean and cruel to say about Victoria (who was actually friends with Nicole), but Zach wanted Frankie to himself. God, he was so bad at trying to hide his jealousy, and he slipped his hand behind Victoria to to rub Frankie's back.

 

_Don't worry. U'll have me all to urself this weekend when u come over to hang out xoxo-F_

_PUMPED! < 3 < 3 < 3 -Z_

 

\---------

 

Zach and Frankie were alone in Frankie's room. Alone. In Frankie's room.

Zach hadn't stopped moving since he had come here, and kept pacing back and forth admiring Frankie's Harry Potter merchandise and the secret collection of Justin Bieber posters Frankie had on the inside of his closet (which were covered in hearts). Frankie's closet was so big that Zach had trouble finding the end, and he admired all the clothes and shoes and watches.

"Wow, dude, you could wander in here and get lost- it's so freakin' big," Zach exclaimed as he opened a hidden compartment to look at Frankie's extravagant collection of golden watches, and Frankie didn't laugh. Instead, he looked contemplative. 

"Yah, you certainly...could get lost in here," Frankie muttered, and Zach had a feeling they weren't actually talking about Frankie's wardrobe anymore. 

"Frankie, are you okay? You been acting a little bit, um, different ever since Halloween. You keep looking over your shoulder and you're always so tense," Zach took a step forward, and they were so close that he could feel Frankie's breathe against his neck. The position was familiar, but they weren't drunk this time.

"I just keep thinking about that night- no, not the part were you vomited on me, but before that. I was going to- oh, god this so embarrassing I can't say it," Frankie blushed, vulnerable, and he hid his face in Zach's shoulder. Zach rubbed his back and gripped Frankie tightly loving how snuggly their bodies fit into each other, and he was amazed that he was the only one who got to see this softer side to Frankie.

"You don't have to say...We don't have to say anything. I just- whatever it is you that were going to say I just want you to know that you're the funniest and smartest person I've ever met in my entire life. And...I'm selfish and want you all to myself so I'm kinda rude to Victoria."

"Oh, god. I don't even like Victoria," Frankie laughed as Zach released him and he took off his shirt to get ready for bed, and Zach didn't even pretend that he wasn't giving Frankie a once over with his eyes.

"But she's you girlfriend. If you don't like her...then why are you dating?" Zach asked as Frankie rubbed his hand over his stubble.

"To cover up," Frankie took another step forward, and they were constantly dancing around each other waiting for one of them to make a move. The air was tense, and Frankie tilted his head as if trying to solve a hard problem  as his hands lightly touched Zach's waist. 

"Cover up what, Frankie?" Zach breathed as Frankie's hands cupped his face, and he pulled Frankie closer against him. 

" _This_ ," Frankie kissed him, and Zach knew what question Frankie had been trying to solve. Frankie kissed him, and Zach, who had been stiff before, melted into the embrace. It would have been just like kissing a girl except he could feel Frankie's stubble against he cheek and erection against his leg.

The irony was not lost on Zach when they were making out inside a closet. God, Zach was pretty sure that he _was_ what his mother thought he  _couldn't-possibly-be_. (Really, really, reallly in love with Frankie)

 

\---------

 

Burnbook twitter: @Ranceypants n @FrankieJGrande r cuddling. All night. Naked. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments if you liked this/are excited to see what other makeout/drama sessions are in store for these two.
> 
> We'll find out who runs that bothersome @Burnbook account quite soon ;)


	5. Full of Secrets

After this ironic closet make out session, Frankie had dragged Zach to his bed, thrown him down, and then straddled him. Frankie’s ass was rubbing nicely against Zach’s erection, but when Zach reached up to try and grab his hips and get more friction, Frankie had slapped his hands away.

“I like to call the shots,” Frankie explained and Zach almost rolled his eyes because of course Frankie liked to have complete control over him- even in bed. Frankie smiled in response to his groaning and rolled his hips in a way that made it hard for Zach to be annoyed anymore. Zach, unconsciously, thrust into the warmth on his lap, and Frankie slapped him again- harder this time.

“God, Frankie, f-fuck. You’re so rough...Please, Frankie- I want _more_!” Zach squirmed sadly as Frankie pulled himself off of Zach’s lap.

“Don’t worry, Zach, there’s more to come...or cum. God, you’re so cute when you’re all flushed and hot for me, baby. You’d look good all red and panting with my cock inside of you,” Frankie said this calmly as he pulled his shirt off, and Zach tried to remember how to breathe. They hadn't even started and Frankie was already imagining himself inside of Zach. And Zach felt his stomach flip nervously at the thought.

“I-I’ve never bottomed before. Or well done anything. Like...I’m a virgin,” Zach stuttered trying to not look Frankie in the face as he confessed his own sexual inexperience. He expected Frankie to laugh at him and tease him, but Frankie’s eyes only grew darker in lust.

“Perfect- you’re mine and mine alone to corrupt then,” Frankie leaned over to kiss him again, and Zach was lost under Frankie’s touches.

“H-have you done this before?” Zach asked even though he could tell by the skilled way that Frankie unzipped Zach’s fly and rubbed his through his clothes that this couldn't be his first time. Zach bit his lip at the sight of Frankie on his knees before him pulling his jeans down to expose his stiff cock.

“Mhm...once, twice, maybe twenty or thirty times. I lost track about a year ago, but I’m sure that it’s still in the two digits,” Frankie teased as his hot breath ghosted over Zach’s erection.

“Can you show me?” Zach wrapped his hand in Frankie’s blonde hair and tried to move his mouth closer to him, but Frankie only responded by slapping Zach’s inner thigh. It burned, but the pain only made Zach harder for some reason.

“Fuck! You weren't joking when you said you liked to ‘call the shots.’ Is slapping like a-a thing for you?”

“No, I just like to see your reaction, Zach. Your eyes become darker and your breathing heavier when I boss you around. You like it when I’m in _control_. You like it when I hurt you. You like it when I’m bitchy. The second I met you I knew that you’d be the needy type who likes to have their hair pulled and back clawed at, and I want to be the one to do it to you,” Frankie explained as he gently stroked Zach’s cock, eyes locked with his, and pressed kisses to the tip of it. Frankie spread the precum with his fingers and licked and sucked at him until Zach was falling apart.

“God, Yes, _Frankie_. Oh, fuck! Please...more. Oh god, _more_!” He groaned.

“You can’t come until I say so,” Frankie decided even as Zach felt himself about to spill over the edge.

“Fuck- I need to fucking come-”

“Don’t be rude, Zach. How do you ask nicely?” Frankie tilted his head as he pulled away, and Zach could practically feel the tears in the corners of his eyes as he tried to stop himself from cumming all over Frankie’s face and chest. It was a mystery to Zach how he had managed to last this long.

Zach begged like he knew Frankie wanted him to: “Please, _Frankie_. Oh, god, please, please, please, please! It feels- feels so god. Please, I love it when you touch me and slap me and tell me what to do! Please let me come! _Please_!”

Frankie kissed him on the tip again, pleased at his pleas, and decided, “You can come on me now, Zach.”

The moment that Zach was given permission he came all over Frankie’s red cheeks and on his lips and it dripped onto his chest. Frankie only wiped the liquid up with his finger. Zach thought for a moment he was going to put it in his mouth and swallow. Instead, he raised his fingers to Zach’s lips and instructed him to lick it clean.

“That’s _dirty_ , Frankie! I’m not licking my own...cum.”

Frankie climbed back on top of him, straddling his hips once more, and repeated the command. _Lick my fingers clean, Zach, I won’t ask again_. This time he twisted Zach’s nipple for disobeying him, and Zach relented.

“What a good boy, Zach. See? You do what I ask, and I’ll be _good_ to you,” Frankie promised as he leaned down and kissed Zach. It was kind of gross tasting himself and then kissing his best friend (/boyfriend?), but he would do anything to please Frankie.

After that they experiment for weeks. Zach learned how to give Frankie a blowjob and a handjob. He learned what a rim job was and that he had never come so fast or so hard as when he had Frankie’ tongue licking him. He learned that Frankie liked to not only slap him but also spank him when he was “a bad boy” and treat him tenderly when he was a “good boy.” Frankie liked to be the one in control, but he also liked to wear women’s underwear while he gave out orders. Zach loved it all, and he would take it all.

Afterwards, Zach would rub Frankie’s back, and they would talk about their day or the past or the future. Zach had never felt so attracted and in love with another human being before- let alone another man. He would tell Frankie every day that he was the smartest and funniest person that he had ever met, but Frankie flinched away from his confessions.

“I mean it, Frankie. I could follow you around for my entire life because you are SO funny and SO smart. I lov-”

“Don’t. Please. This is nice right now, okay?” Frankie cut him off, and Zach sighed as he continued to massage Frankie’s shoulders. Frankie wouldn't tell him why he was so afraid of the word love, but Zach was sure that he had been hurt before.

“Even if you don’t want to hear it -whatever the reason- it’s true. Just because you don’t want to listen doesn't mean that I don’t have these feelings and that they won’t go away,” Zach explained, and they lay there in silence for a couple minutes. For as vocal, Frankie was about his desires during sex, he was quite afterwards.

“Zach, it’s not that I don’t feel the same. It’s that this is all happening so quickly. How can I be sure you’re not just in lust with me? I’m the first person you've had who's given you all this physical affection, and you may be... _confused_.”

“Oh, god, Frankie. I have all of society telling me that I’m confused and I’ll just find a nice girl and get over these ‘desires,’ but that isn't true. Just because I’m young or haven’t had a lot of experience doesn't mean these feelings aren't genuine. I love you, dude, so get the hell over it.”

Frankie giggled, “Only you would use the words ‘dude’ when you confess your feelings... Oh god, Zach, I’m just afraid of this all coming so fast...we’re both just boys fumbling around in the closet. I still have a girlfriend and you’re still ‘single.’ Maybe later when we’re both ready to come out.”

Zach said nothing but drew a heart on Frankie’s back and wrote the word _mine_ over and over.

                                                                                     --------------------------------------------------

 

They decided that their relationship was a secret, but Zach had a hard time controlling himself. He found himself draped all over Frankie, kissing his neck, and begging for his attention at every moment. God, even outside of bed Zach felt needy.

Not only was he needy as fuck, desperate for any approval, but Zach easily became jealous. The sight of Frankie pressing a kiss to his girlfriend's lips when she asked him what he had been doing all weekend was enough for Zach to drag Frankie off to the bathroom. He had dropped to his knees and sucked him off until Frankie couldn't even remember what Victoria's name was.

They shared clothes, Zach stretching Frankie shirts and Frankie looking petite in Zach's sweaters, and shared food and shared their secrets. There was nothing that Frankie giggled at that Zach didn't know about. One silent glance between them was enough to send them into fits of laughter that would leave the rest of the bombsquad feeling ostracized and Victoria going _whatttt?????_

Even the teachers thought that there was something going on between Zach and Frankie. Mr.Thompson had advised Zach to help his boyfriend with understanding how to take the derivatives of logs so he could do better on the next test, and Zach had to explain, in front of the whole class, that Frankie wasn't his boyfriend. Cody had snorted in disbelief and rolled his eyes while the rest of the class had snickered.

_Mr.Thompson thinks we r banging_ , he texted Frankie under his desk.

_Babe, ur so bad at  keeping secrets < 3_ -F

_It's cause I want to scream my eternal love for u!!!! Sometimes I slip up and almost forget it's a secret because I can't think of you as anyone else's but mine..._ -Z

_I have a feeling that MAY ruin my chances for Prom King if r secret gets out ;) But I'll let u scream tonight. LOUD._  -F Zach bit his lip as he read the flirty text and took a couple minutes trying to think of the perfect response.

_I don't want to wake up your parents...u might have to gag me -Z_

_Ohhh...someone's feeling feisty! And I just bought a new pair of lacy panties_ -F

_Oh, god. I am SO taking pics tonight...for my 'wank bank'_ -Z

 

                                                                                     --------------------------------------------------

Burnbook: “@Frankiejgrande Uh oh! That doesn't look like your _girl_ friend’s hand to me... [The attached photo was of Frankie, who was naked except for a pair of panties. perched on top of his bed with an obviously male hand clutching at his butt. Frankie’s eyes are hooded with desire as they turned to stare at the camera/taker of the photo]

                                                                                 --------------------------------------------------

 

“No one had access to the pictures but me and you! This was supposed to be private. I thought that you lo- at least respected me! I gave you my half virginity and my trust and this is how you repay me??? You are the nastiest bastard I’ve ever met!” Frankie screamed as arrived on Zach’s doorstep with all of Zach’s possessions in a garbage bag.

Frankie’s eyes were red and his mascara was running, and Zach wanted to lean forward and wipe away the distress from Frankie’s face. He wished that he could protect Frankie from the cruelties of this world but right now Frankie thought that he had been the one to expose him.

Zach took a step forward as Frankie took a step back: “I didn't do it, Frankie! What would I have to gain by outing you? Why would I want to out my best friend on some sleazy twitter account? Why would I want you to be ridiculed on social media and harassed? Think- does that make any sense to you? It. Was. Not .”

“Then who did it?”

Zach shook his head and tore at his hair in pain as he read the distrust in Frankie’s eyes.

How could he prove that it wasn't him when he was the only boy, besides Frankie, to have the picture? How could he prove his own innocence when Frankie had already decided that he was guilty? Zach grabbed Frankie’s arm and gripped it tightly even as Frankie tried to wrench himself from his grasp.

Zach pleaded, “I don’t know who did this crime, Frankie! But it wasn't me- please you have to believe me. I gave you my _everything_!”

Frankie had started to cry again as he tore himself away from Zach, and he looked so small and broken. This wasn't the shining and confident Frankie that Zach was used to seeing, and Zach wished that he could kiss all the pain away.

“No, this was just a game to you- wasn't it? Don’t fucking shake your head and try to play coy with me!” Frankie wiped at his face only to smear his mascara across his cheeks, “Y-you were just toying with my feelings to try and ruin my chances of becoming prom king. Isn't that right? Don’t think the bomb squad won’t get their revenge Zach...or should I call you the Burn Book?!”

“Frankie, please, you’re not being reasonable. I barely even knew how to use twitter before I met you...how could it have been me?” Zach fell to his knees, not even embarrassed to grovel, but Frankie had already thrown the garbage bag full of Zach’s things to the side and turned away.

“I want to believe that it wasn't you, Zach. Oh god, I want to believe that what you felt for me was real because I- I really liked you. I want to believe that it wasn't you who posted that picture...I just don’t.”

Zach had never known heartbreak until this day, and he could feel everything inside of him breaking as Frankie walked away. He counted every step that Frankie took to his car, and even though Zach thought about running after Frankie and kissing him, Zach knew it was futile.

 

                                                                                     --------------------------------------------------

 

_Frankiejgrande_ : "When you thought you knew someone... :( #notshiningbrightatthemoment"

_Ranceypants_ : "@Frankiejgrande pls respond to ur texts!!!"

_Frankiejgrande_ : "@Ranceypants never speak to me again until u delete what u posted!"

_Ranceypants_ : "@Frankiejgrande I'm NOT the @Burnbook twitter!? #framed Please please please rd ur texts!"

_Burnbook_ : "LOL @Frankiejgrande and @Ranceypants are too gay to function. There goes any chance for Prom King!"

_Frankiejgrande_ : "@Ranceypants @Burnbook I'm not giving up just yet..."

Zach was too afraid to look at his mentions after that, and his dashboard was blowing up with people asking if he was the hand in Frankie's picture or if he was the Burn book twitter. Zach thought it may be funny to troll them all and pretend to be the Burn Book, but he was too upset at the thought that Frankie could ever believe it was him. He had sent over a hundred texts to Frankie, but Frankie wouldn't reply to him.

Zach found the Burn Book twitter, followed, and dm'ed them: _who r u???_

_LOL closer than u think, Rancey pants_

_What do u want from us?_

_Sweet, sweet revenge :)_

_Revenge...WTF I've never done anything mean to anyone!? How did u even get those pictures???_

_Shhh...it's a secret..._

_Just tell me what u want. Seriously. What u did to, Frankie... please stop, whoever u r, PLEASE_

_Oh, Zachary. I only want to give u both what u've given me..._

_???_

_Loneliness_ _. Exclusion. Humiliation._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whodunnit???? Why? And more importantly- will Zach be able to figure out the TRUE culprit?
> 
> Leave comments if you liked this chapter/ want to read more!


	6. Made out of rainbows

“...you think he’s doing it for attention?”

“Duh, what else is he doing it for? Frankie’s _faggoty_ ass is everywhere-.”

Zach grabbed the boy’s wrist as he walked down the hall, all the suppressed anger that had been boiling in Zach’s bloodstream rose to fill his cheeks, and he got close to the boy’s face. He saw the whites of his eyes and wished he could stare down every kid who chewed through homophobic slurs like it was nothing. This wasn't nothing- this was his best friend.

“What did you say? _Huh_? You think it makes you a big man to go around and call other people ‘gay’ and ‘fags’?” Zach spat and the people around them in the hallway were drawing closer in fascination. Someone shouted ‘fight.’

The boy flinched and tried to rip his hand away: “W-what do you care, bro? Come on- let go! Weren't you one who fucking posted the picture?”

“Why would I do that? Why? Can anyone explain to me? WHY?” Zach hadn't realized he was screaming until the boy started to shake. There was a crowd growing around them. Zach was afraid that he was going to do something he regretted.

“Please let me go, dude! I was just joking around.”

“Well, jokes are funny. And guess what?” Zach lowered his voice as his fingers clenched even tighter around the boy’s wrist, “I’m. Not. Laughing.”

“Mr. Rance! What is y’all doing?” Mr.Thompson’s soothing voice calmed the pulsating crowd and Zach lowered his fist, “Please, I don’t wanna have to get the Principal involved in this so let’s go to my room and try to figure out what the problem is.”

Zach didn't want to talk about this anymore. The crowd was staring at him and Mr.Tompson had a hand on his shoulder, but these people couldn't help Zach. Zach’s words and his questions could not be answered by them.

 _Why_. It wasn't a question anymore so much as it was a mantra that pounded in his head with every breath he took. The sound of the blood pounding in his ear’s was like a battle drum. _Why. Why. Why. Why._

 

Zach felt there a weightless and invisible force constricting him, and he saw it everywhere and nowhere. It prevented him from opening his mouth and telling his mother the truth of why he wouldn't leave his room. It forced him to sit at the lunch table, surrounded by the bomb squad, and pretend that there was nothing wrong. It made him smile and nod along as Victoria laughed, touching his arm, and pretending to care. He was surrounded by the enemy.

He thought if he had to put a word to it all then he would say that there was a closet built around him. It wasn't like he had made the choice to stay closeted. This trap had been built around him and no one could see that he was dying before their eyes.

Frankie hadn't been to school for a week.

Zach hadn't laughed for a week.

There were no words to describe what school was like without Frankie. Zach had never noticed how bleak and gray life was without friends you could confide in. Frankie had been his laughter. Without him, he saw everything as it was, and what he saw sickened him.

Someone had printed out the picture of Frankie and pasted them on the walls as if the images hadn't already been digitally drilled into the consciousness of the student body. They called Frankie a fag. Gay. Ugly. Attention whore. Queer. Pansy. Loser. The words were written online and they were written in the glances of the students as they looked at Zach.

 

                                                                                --------------------------------------------------

 

 _Burnbook_ : LOL @ some ppl that are too afraid to even show up to school. Is it b/c you finally realized what a joke u were??? Only took one photo to show what a liar u were...

 

 _Frankiejgrande_ : When ppl throw shade just shine brighter :) I’ve been sick for the last couple of days but I’m excited for Monday!!! 

 

 _Jessica101Biebz_ : @Frankiejgrande gayyyyy lmao

 

 _Frankiejgrande_ : @Jessica101Biebz yes I am. Glad we cleared that up.

 

 _Arianagrande_ : IDFWU if u try and go at my brother. He’s the most lovely and kind person and he’s been hurt! Pls be kind <3

 

Frankiejgrande: LOVE U @Arianagrande. I’m a big boy- I can handle hate. #shiningbright

 

                                                                            --------------------------------------------------

 

Zach saw Frankie pull up to the school, and it looked like the world was muted and Frankie was in screaming color. This wasn’t a metaphor; Frankie had painted his upper body into a rainbow colored shirt and covered it with sparkles. He was literally a walking pride poster. The pink panties that had been in the leaked photo where pulled up above his pants so that they were visible and he had written on the top of his chest, with black paint, YOU CAN’T BURN A RAINBOW.

“What the fuck is he wearing,” Cody scoffed.

“...or _not_ wearing?” Zach giggled, and he couldn't take his eyes off the glittery mess that was Frankie’s outfit. Mesmerizing. 

Frankie strutted to the front doors, where Cody and Zach stood, like he owned the school. Zach smiled and waved at him even though he knew Frankie was still mad at him. Oh god, Zach was in love with this idiot and it made his chest hurt with how proud he was.

“Zachary. Cody. You like my outfit?.” Frankie twirled around and it was just horribly ridiculous and over the top, like Frankie was the walking poster boy for LGTB awareness, and Zach was laughing so hard it hurt.

“Oh my, god, Frankie- you’re too much! You’re going to give Principal Levasseur an early heart attack.”

“Good, that’s the plan. Watch and learn how to become Prom King, amateurs,” Frankie winked, and Zach wanted to know where Frankie had learned to be so carefree.  How was this the same boy who had cried on his doorstep and feared that his social life was over? How was this the same boy that had been so broken? How was Frankie so perfect?

Frankie was just so confident and beautiful and even his haters where obsessed with him. Cody and Victoria couldn't stop fuming about what an obvious violation of school policy this was. Before the first bell had rang, his photo was all over twitter and #glitterwtf was a trending topic.

Frankie, surprisingly, made it halfway through first period before the Principal summoned him to his office. Frankie, unsurprisingly, refused to go to the Principal’s office.

Principal Levasseur was forced to confront Frankie in the middle of the hallway, and Frankie was happy to entertain him. So long as Frankie could make a dramatic exit with an audience to witness the scene, Zach figured that he would be pleased. Frankie, the diva, couldn’t be kicked out of school without one final encore, and Zach had never been so enamored.

“Was there a point to dressing like this, Frankie?”

“This outfit is a big, sparkly middle finger to anyone who thought that outing me would make me shine less! You think I’m an attention whore? Fine, then I’ll be the biggest one you’ve ever seen.”

“We can’t have indecency on school grounds, Mr. Grande.”

“Then you better kick out this whole freakin’ school because I've never seen so many indecent teenagers in such a compact space. Never have I read so many homophobic slurs. Never have I been so ashamed of our generation. I don't know who wrote this ‘Burnbook’ twitter, but you all have got to stop retweeting it and promoting a culture of hatred. Aren't we supposed to be about tolerance and acceptance? Raise your hand if you’re with me” Frankie preached.

A girl in the crowd stepped forward, “I just wish we could all get along like we used to in middle school. I wish that I could bake a cake made out of rainbows and smiles,and we'd all eat it and be happy.”

Frankie blinked, “Do you even go here?”

“No. I just have a lot of feelings.”

Principal Levasseur rubbed his forehead and shook his head, “Ok, go home. You too, Frankie, I’m glad that you’re trying to send a positive message out there. I know that online bullying is no joke but next time...can you please follow school policy and wear a shirt? I have to ask you to leave and put on more clothes.”

Frankie struck a pose, threw more glitter about from his pocket, and sashayed away to his locker. Zach stalked after him and tried get his attention as the bell rang and the hallways cleared out.

“Frankie, that was funny and inspiring and perfect! Like how did you even think of doing all that? I mean-”

“Stop. This doesn't mean we’re even.”  

“Why? Please, you have to believe that I was innocent! Why is it so hard for you to accept that I wouldn't do this to you. _Please_!”

“Don’t speak to me. Don’t look at me. I don’t know you,” Frankie slammed his locker, but Zach grabbed his hand and Frankie gasped at his touch. It had been so long since they had had any contact, and the feeling of their skin against one another was electric. Zach shivered.

He took a step closer until Frankie’s back had hit the locker, and they were in a familiar position.  Zach leaned in closer and cupped Frankie’s face in his hands: “Well I know you and I know that you’re in pain. Even if you try and paint it over with rainbows and sparkles. I can see you’re hurting. Please just...I want to be friends so badly. I can’t stop thinking about you and I- I oh god I love you. Does that mean nothing to you? I love you. I love you. I love you. I would never do anything to hurt you. What will it take for you to believe me?”

Frankie leaned forward until Zach could feel Frankie breathe against his neck, and they were chest to chest. Zach looked down at Frankie’s pink lips like petals and thought about how he wanted to press them against his them. They were so close and Zach wanted this so much, but he lurched back when he heard a sound. Frankie laughed bitterly as a clueless janitor walked past them, and Frankie pushed Zach away.

“You want this to be real, Zach? Come out. If you’re as sorry as you say you are and if you want this relationship to be more than a mistake and my leaked nudes- come out. Otherwise, I’m nothing but a sweet pair of lips to you that you can kiss and then ‘no homo.’ You love when I cum on you but you won’t come out. So, come out, Zach, and then I’ll know that this is real.”

“I- Frankie I can’t. It’s not fair of you to ask this of me,” Zach pathetically explained and Frankie’s shoulders tensed and he narrowed his eyes as he looked at Zach’s slumped figure.

“Well then it’s not fair of you to ask for my love and forgiveness. Fool me once- shame on you. Fool me twice- shame on me. I don’t want to play these games anymore, Zach, it hurts too much,” Frankie piled his books into his band, avoiding  Zach’s gaze, and left him standing there. Alone.

The world was black and white again, and Zach would do anything to get his rainbow back.

 

                                                                        --------------------------------------------------

 

 _Frankiejgrande_ : “So glad to see there’s no hate so dark that the light can’t defeat it ! Thnk u to my family for supporting me ! < 3”

  
 _Ranceypants_ : “I love you...I promise. I’ll show you the trueth #notjoking”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're no closer to the culprit, but it looks like Zachary has a plan. Just in time for a white and merry Christmas ;)


	7. Too Gay to Function

Frankie got a new crew, and he wouldn't give anyone from the bomb squad the time of day. He hung out with theater kids- Jon Erik and Chester. There was this boy, Michael, who Frankie spent a lot of time with, and Zach could see the way the boy was eyeing Frankie. It made Zach sick because he knew that Michael, unlike Zach, was out and proud.

Frankie quickly readjusted to life in high school while Zach became the new, reluctant leader of the Bomb Squad. Zach was the most popular member and so everyone considered him the unofficial leader. Kids in school loved Zach’s cheer leading chants and speculation constantly surrounded his relationship with Frankie. Maybe it was the fact that he and Frankie had trended on twitter multiple times or that Frankie had been featured in multiple sleazy, online magazines (Ariana Grande’s brother outed on twitter my mysterious burn book account???) (Speculation that Frankie’s former BFF Zach Rance was the one who outed him???) (Ariana Grande’s brother kicked out of school...for too much glitter!!!) (Ariana defends her brother: HE’S PERFECT THE WAY HE IS)

Either way, Zach was now the head of the Bomb Squad clique, and Frankie’s clique was called ‘Rock of Age’s, which was the musical they were performing this year. There was an unspoken rivalry between the two of them. Chester had caused a scene one day by serenading Zach with ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot,’ and Zach’s reaction had made it to the popular page on Instagram.  

Other social media, like Tumblr, had become obsessed with the ongoing between the two cliques in Big Brother High. One post, which had an absurd number of notes, joked about the sexual tension between Zach and Frankie when they were both nominated for Prom King. Zach was pissed off with how much the internet blew things out of proportion. Why did everyone have to be #Teamzach or #TeamFrankie?

It wasn’t that serious.

Zach was just this normal kid who wanted to get an education and chill out with his friends and now he had this whole social media following that tweeted at him ‘SLAY KING’ or ‘pls tweet at me n I’ll die happy bae <3.’ What had he ever done to deserve this kind of attention? Despite Frankie’s warning, the Burn Book Twitter’s popularity rose, and, instead of being disgusted at how Frankie had been cruelly outed, people people worshipped the account. It disgusted Zach.

Zach felt like he was caught up in the middle of drama and bullshit when all he really wanted to do was cuddle with Frankie and talk to him and kiss him. Why did everything have to become so overly complicated? This was high school for chrissakes- why was everyone acting like this was life or death?

“What we need to do is figure out who runs this twitter account, and then everything can go back to normal,” Zach ranted for what must have been the third time that lunch period. He spent the rest of his time staring at Frankie’s table where Frankie was putting on a performance as ‘Rachel Vodkacran.’ Michael kept touching Frankie’s forearm.

Cody rolled his eyes: “Don’t you get it, Zach? It doesn't matter who it was- Frankie’s just bitter that he was outed and you weren’t. Frankie knows the leak had to have come from inside the bomb squad. It's obvious that only members of the Bomb Squad knew about your relationship and would have had easy access to either one of your phones. This happened for the best.”

“Dude, how can you say that? None of this was for the best, and if you believe that than you’re as delusional as Caleb thinking he’ll finally get a date with Amber...and what do you mean you knew about our, um, ‘relationship’?” Zach rubbed the back of his neck as Cody gave him a despairing look,

“Don’t make me say it, bro,” Cody shrugged, “Let’s just say that we know who the hand in that picture belongs to, okay? I mean even Victoria had it figured out and that girl needs to have her own name spelled out for her. The trueth was going to come out eventually and-”

“Wait! Victoria knew? It has to be- and all this time I didn’t think she- of course! She had the motive. She had the access. She is The Burn Book!”

Zach leaped up from his seat, unable to sit still with the energy of his revelation burning inside of him, and raced over to where Frankie was standing. He grabbed Frankie and pulled him away from his ‘Rock of Ages’ clique.

“Zach, really, can’t you see that I was in the middle of something? What is it? Please respect-”

“Frankie, come here,” Zach was giggling and pulling on his former best friend’s hand. He could see the glare of a couple ‘covert’ cell phones trying to take pictures or a video of the scene, but Zach needed to talk to Frankie alone. God, he had been waiting for months (okay, only one month) to talk to Frankie again. This was crucial.

Zach pulled them into C staircase. which had been infamously labelled as the ‘sex and smoking staircase’ so they were unlikely to be disturbed, and he took a deep breathe. Frankie was giving him an odd look, his eyes flickering between Zach’s grin and grip on his wrist, and tried to pull away again.

“Frankie! I know who runs the account! It was-”

“Victoria. I know. I’ve known for a while, Zach, so don’t come running along like this is some sort of big news. It was pretty obvious with the way she was smirking, and the writing style of the twitter was definitely feminine.”

“But. But. But if you knew it was Victoria then why- why have you been avoiding me? How come you haven’t tried to expose her or- or at least tell me that you knew. Frankie, I’ve been crying for weeks because I thought you hated me, and all this time you knew that it was Victoria who ran the account? I - I feel so fucking betrayed! I feel like my wife just cheated on me!” Zach screamed, and he didn’t care who heard. He had just gone from the top of the world to the bottom in a couple minutes. Zach was pacing around the top of the staircase, and Frankie grabbed his shoulders to still him.

“Zach, listen. The best revenge you can ever have against someone that bitter and vitriolic is happiness. The best way that I can get back at such a mean girl is not by turning into another mean boy but by living my life to the fullest. You should've seen her face when I came back dressed like a sparkly, rainbow. I’ve never felt so alive, Zach. I feel free."

Zach couldn't help the tears because he had been bottling up these feelings for too long. Now, the loneliness that had built up inside him for so long spilled over, and he came apart in front of Frankie. It was humiliating, wiping at his eyes, but his lip was trembling, and Frankie still had his hands on his shoulder.

"B-but I-I thought you hated me. I thought that you were avoiding me because you th-thought I was some sorta queer baiting dick who had used and abused you. How could you just abandon me? You just cut me out of yo-your life like I was nothing?" Zach sobbed and he didn't even try to wipe his face, "You're a liar! Y-you never loved me when...ALL I EVER DID WAS LOVE YOU?!"

"Zach, please stop screaming. Someone's going to come. Please, you have to understand that I cut out a lot of negativity from my life, and everyone knows it was for the best. I thought maybe it would also be for the best if we stopped seeing each other-"

"BEST FOR WHO? FOR YOU?" Zach pushed away Frankie's arms as they tried to reach up to comfort him, "I GAVE YOU MY EVERYTHING!"

"And I love you!"

"I do! _I love you!_ "

Zach and Frankie stared at each other, and, in a moment of self-awareness, they both realized how ridiculous it was that they were screaming their love for one another. Frankie smiled sardonically, and Zach giggled at how melodramatic the two of them were.

"Oh, god, what are we doing? I feel like we're in some bad chick flick right now. Why have we been avoiding each other Zach?" Frankie leaned in again, and this time Zach let him. Frankie wiped away the tears from Zach's face and kissed his wet cheeks. Zach, after so long apart, felt himself melt under Frankie's warm touch, and he said nothing but hid his face into Frankie's neck.

They stood there for a long time, wrapped up in each other's arms, and Zach found comfort in Frankie's warmth. Frankie pressed kisses to his head, and they leaned their foreheads together. Zach couldn't let go because he was afraid that if he did then Frankie may leave him again.

"Why did you stay away? After you knew that it wasn't me?" Zach tried to stay mad, but all he could concentrate on was the feeling of Frankie's fingertips resting on his lower back. He could think of nothing but Frankie's breathe curling against his neck and filling his body with warm longing.

"I was afraid. I thought that I had loved you too much, and my love for you would only bring me more suffering. I doubted that I deserved a love like yourrs, and I was afraid that I would fuck it up. Just like I fuck everything up. I thought you might be happier without me, Zach," Frankie explained.

"Frankie. I can't function without you. You're the _sun_ , and I want to be illuminated by your light. You give away your light like it's fucking candy, and I want to be first in line,"

"Wow, I leave you for a month, and you start spouting poetry? Has it been that long since you got laid, Zachary?," Frankie leaned up to whisper against his lips. Zach giggled, and he wasn't sure how they had gone from confusion to betrayal to anger to head-over-heels-in-love in the span of five minutes. They were a mess, and he was in love with their mess.

"Too long. I think my dick got chaffed from jacking off too much. Will you be the remedy to my pains?"

"Mhm. Gonna have to try harder than that to get into these fine ass designer jeans, Zach," Frankie flirted. His fingertips faintly touched the front of his jeans, and Zach leaned forward in delight. Frankie teasingly rubbed him, and he smiled as Zach moans echoed in the empty staircase. Zach was semi with only a few fleeting finger strokes and a couple kisses. Frankie's lips were even softer then he remembered.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's dew? For you art more...um I don't remember the other part. But I would fuck you until you were even hotter than a summer's day, and you were dripping dew all over me. Does that get you going, Frankie?," Zach askied quirking his eyebrow; Frankie grinned and stroked the outline of Zach's cock through his khaki pants.

"Calm down there, Shakespeare," Frankie released him and Zach made an agitated growl, "You know what really gets a boy like me going?"

"What? You know I would do anything? I love you, Frankie, and I want to be yours. I want you to be mine, and I don't want any other boys, like Micheal or whoever, touching you. I want to be exclusive and be the only one to see you in panties or get held down by you or kiss you. I want it all- the good, the bad, and the Frankie. What can I do to prove my devotion to you?"

"How about this- _'Hello, I'd like to tell everybody that my name is Zach Rance, and I'm too gay to function. This is my boyfriend, Frankie, who is also too gay to function. We're dysfunctional together.'_ Then kiss me and claim me for good. Now, THAT gets me going," Frankie winked and strutted away. Zach watched his perfect bottom, and he wondered what it would be like to spread those cheeks and-

The bell made him realize how VERY hard he was, and Zach spent the next ten minutes in the bathroom waiting for his boner to go away. Unsurprisngly, a photo surfaced online of him holding a binder over his crotch and Frankie looking pleased.

\---------

_Frankiejgrande_ : "Boy, imma make U beg for it."

_Ranceypants_ : "I want it, rose...I promise."

_Zankie4life_ : "Will those two fruitloops just @ eachother already? God, this sexual tension is KILLING everyone."

\---------

Zach and Frankie started to hang out again. They both still had different friend circles, but they didn't care about cliques or any other high school bullshit. There would be no more Burn Books or leaked ass shots keeping them apart. Zach decided that everything wasn't as dramatic or serious as it seemed to be.

Zach went to see Frankie's play, and it was amazing. He was on his feet and clapping the second that the curtains went down. He was beaming harder then even Frankie's mom, and he had brought a bouquet of flowers.

After the show, he kept trying to touch Frankie and put his hand around him. It was like they were two sides of a magnet that couldn't stand to be seperated. Everyone in the dressing room was giving them funny looks, but Zach didn't care. He just wanted to hug Frankie and never let go.

"You two should just get a room," Chester joked, but Zach was too busy admiring Frankie to even hear him.

\---------

Zach won Prom King and Nicole won Prom Queen. Nicole gave a touching speech, but Zach had only eyes and ears for one person in this room. That person was wearing a sparkly, pink tuxedo and waving at him from the foot of the stage.

"I started off highschool this year thinking that it was going to be the best year of my life...Boy, was I wrong. My parents would ask me how was school everyday, and I wouldn't know how to respond. How could I describe to them the stress to be a part of the 'We'? To make your friends like you? To be both someone noteworthy and yet not make yourself a target? I was filled with more _questions_ than _answers_ "

Everyone was silent, and he could tell from the i-phones in the air that he was being recorded.

Good, Zach wanted his words to resonate for years to come: "Highschool can be one of the most stressful years of your life because you often find yourself becoming a person that you don't like for people you could care less about. Screw that. Embrace yourself. Try out for cheerleading. Play golf. Join the school play. Become the leader of mathletes even if people tell you it's social suicide. Hell, paint yourself in rainbows if that makes you happy!" Principal Levasseur coughed loudly from the side of the stage and Zach winked at him, "But make sure to wear a shirt."

"I know that in many ways high school is a microcosm of the 'real world.' Everyone always wants to know 'who's the best dressed' and 'who's having sex.' But in many ways it's not the real world. We all have a life outside of these narrow hall ways. We're going to do much bigger things in this world than score a touchdown or makeup  a cheer or even perform in a school play. Now, before Principal Levasseur kicks me off this stage for making my five minute speech way too effing long, I just want to make a personal announcement. High School is about finding yourself, and I found a part of myself this year that I never want to let go. So, yes, the rumours are true. Me and Frankie are a dysfunctional mess- _together_. And I think nobody in the world deserves this crown more than Frankie. Frankie has been nothing but graceful with all the hate that he has endured, and he has been been a shining role model for every queer kid who has been afraid to shine bright."

Zach walked to the edge of the stage, knelt down, and put the crown on top of Frankie's head. Frankie looked up at him, love radiating in his eyes, and his lips were warm when Zach pressed them to his. Then, someone started to clap and then everyone was clapping.

Zach wondered if this is what a happy ending looked like.

\---------

Victoria had been leaning against the wall scrolling on her cellphone,  and Zach didn't have the time to waste with her. He knew what she had done, but he couldn't forgive her yet. Frankie had told him to face hate with love so he told her to have a good night and to try and enjoy herself. She had already spent most of the night on her own, standing by the fruit punch, and Zach knew that her bitterness had only come from her loneliness. So Zach told Cody to ask her to dance, and he felt better knowing that he had done the right thing. Could he understand what she did? Yes. Could he condone it? Never. Would he forgive her? Maybe one day.

For now, Zach had Frankie and that was all that he had ever wanted. They slow danced with Zach's hand wrapped around Frankie's waist, and their fingers intertwined. Zach thought that if this was what it was like to be in love then he never wanted to fall out of love. He felt so close to Frankie: hips moving in time, eye's locked, and pulses beating in rhythm.

"I'm so proud of you, Zach. You are the bravest person that I've ever meet, and I love you so much that I was once afraid. How can you love a person so much if there's a chance that it might not work out?"

"I'm willing to take that chance with you, Frankie. I _promise_ ," Zach whispered in his ear, and Frankie shivered against him. Zach looked up and was astounded to see that Frankie's cheeks were pink and his eyes dilated.

"Fuck, is it bad that I look at you like my future husband? You can't go saying mushy, lovey stuff like that Zach or I may fall even deeper in love with you, and I don't know if I can go any deeper at this point."

"That's what she said."

"Dear lord, I may be in love with a ten year old boy trapped in the body of an eighteen year old," Frankie giggled into his neck, "What have I gotten myself into?"

"Don't worry, Frankie. I'm a cheerleader so I specialize in catching people when they fall. And I'm now a mathlete so I can confidently say the percentage of me missing is less than 1 percent. And I'm fucking Zach Rance so I say fuck everybody and just fuck me. What do you say, Frankie Michael James Marchione Grande, are you willing to have me?"

"As long as you'll have me, you fruitloop," Frankie promised, and they were kissing once more. It felt like the whole world had stopped, and all of Zach's sensations and thoughts were of Frankie.

_Frankie. Frankie. Frankie._

\---------

_The Burn Book's_ final tweet before the account was deactivated: "RIP. May all the pain this account has caused be healed. I tried to spread my suffering when I should have spread my light. But maybe love will make this right?"

[Attached was a photo of Frankie and Zach kissing. The crowd behind them was blurred, but their face's were clearly illuminated by the light.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you as surprised as me that I actually managed to FINISH a ficlet? *side eyes all WIPs* *sides eyes Bite Me*
> 
> So, tell me what you thought of this fic. A little predictable? A little dramatic? A little funny? A hella lot of Zankie? (yes. yes. yes. hell yes)
> 
> Comments are always appreciated :D

**Author's Note:**

> Ohhh, looks like Zach's got a little crush. A VERY heterosexual crush. Duh. He wants to hang out with Frankie and do dude/guy/bro things with him like press him down on the bed and reach around to find- the clicker!


End file.
